Cover for ash-carts.



No. MLQBI. I Patented Feb. l2, l90l.

H. A. DIRKES. v CUVER FUR ASH CABTS.

(Application filed. Nov. 8, 1899 Renewed June 30, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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WFMCE.

ATFNT HENRY A. DIRKES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

poi/Ea roe ASH CARTS.

SIREGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,931, dated February 12, 1901 Application filed November 3, 1899. Renewed \Tune 30, 1900. Serial No. 22,205. -l lo model) To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. DIRKES, aeiti- Zen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Ash-Carts and other Vehicles, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to special flexible covers for ash-carts and the like, the object being to provide a simple and inexpensive cover which shall not interfere with the filling and dumping of the cart, which shall be reasonably durable, and which shall prevent the ashes from being blown about when filling the cart and when the cart is moving from place to place or going to the dump.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one side flap of the cover thrown up. Fig. 2 is a cross-section at line in Fig. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rear part of the cart, showing the side flap fastened down. Fig. 4 is a ngitndinal section. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the socket for the bows that support the flexible cover material.

X represents the body of an ash-cart of the usual kind. Ordinarily such cart-bodies are made from sheet metal; but this is not important to the present invention, which has to do only with the cover. This cover consists of the following parts, namely: two hows u and b, one mounted on the body at its front end and the other at its rear end or tail. Preferably these bows will be of metal and have tenons a and b at their respective ends to tit into sockets a and b respectively, in the cart-body. The rear bow I) should be readily removable, for reasons that will be pointed out hereinafter. On the bows CL and I) are respectively secured end pieces 0 and d of the cover, which may be of canvas or other suitable flexible fabric. At their upper edges the end pieces 0 and (Z will have the proper form to correspond to the shape of the bows, to which they are firmly secured, preferably by forming a pocket in the margin of the fabric to receive the bow. At their lower edges the end pieces will be provided with means for securing them to the body X. Obviously these may be buttons, hooks, or the like, as seen at c in Fig. 1.

The main portion of the cover consists of two side flaps e e, which are joined together along the crown or ridge, the strong rein forced strip g at their meeting edges being firmly secured at its respective ends to the hows u. and b. The flaps e are only attached along their upper or meeting edges, being free at their ends where they extend out over the bows. At their lower edges they will have suitable fastening devices, which may be readily secured and as readily thrown off or detached. As herein shown, the fastening device 7L in Fig. 3 consists of a cord or thong on the flap e and a small cleat on the cart-body. These side flaps may be of the same fabric as the end pieces.

The operation is simple. In loading, one of the side flaps c is unfastened and thrown back over the crown or ridge g to permit of the cans or barrels being emptied into the cart. At the same time the other flap 6 and the end pieces 0 and (Z shield the ashes in the cart from the wind, as these parts of the cover remain down and undisturbed While filling the cart. When the cart is full, the side flap is drawn down and secured and the cart driven to the dump. On reaching the dump the driver before dumping detaches the end piece d and the side flaps e from the body, detaches the tail-bow b,and turns the whole forward over the front how a. The load is then dumped and the tail-bow and cover again replaced.

If the cover be made of canvas or like woven material liable to shrink from exposure to rains, it may be oiled, painted, or otherwise waterproofed. The strip g may consist of several plies of canvas or of the same material as the side flaps, or the lapped edges of the flaps at the crown or ridge may be reinforced by a strip of strong flexible material-as leather, for example.

The bows CL and b may, if desired, he inclined outward at their tops and have a semicircular or other suitable form, as indicated in Fig. 4..

It will be understood that the flaps 6 may be all in one piece or integral and be reinforced by a separate strip 9 along the crown of the cover, or the flaps may be separate and secured to the strip g, or the strip g may be integral with or a part of said flaps. This is a mere matter of judgment on the part of the constructor.

Having thus described my invention, I Claim- 1. Acover for an ash-cart, or similar vehicle, comprising two bows, two end pieces of flexible fabric secured at their upper edges to said bows, and two side flaps, of flexible material secured along their meeting edges to a ridge-strip which is secured at its respective ends to the crowns of said bows, said side flaps being free at their ends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with an ash-cart, or similar vehicle, of a how a, mounted on the front of the cart-body, a bow I), mounted removably on the tail or rear end of the body,

end pieces 0 and d, of flexible fabric, secured to the respective bows at their upper edges, afiexible ridge-strip g, connecting the crowns of the bows, and the side flaps e, secured at their meeting edges to said strip 9, substantially as set forth.

3. A cover for an ash-cart, or similar vehicle, comprising two bows, end pieces secured at their upper edges to the respective bows, and a main cover of flexible material secured at its ends to the crowns only of the bows and forming two side flaps e, 6, sub- 

